Senate File 2297 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2297 BY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS (SUCCESSOR TO SF 2183) A BILL FOR An Act concerning veterans and military service, including 1 waivers and refunds of certain fees, use of state 2 facilities, public utility disconnection of service, and 3 declarations for disposition of remains. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5554SV (2) 83 ec/nh

S.F. 2297 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 29A.14A Use of government 1 facilities. 2 Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the 3 state or any political subdivision of the state, shall permit 4 the rental of facilities under its control, for a fee not 5 in excess of any expenses incurred by the state or political 6 subdivision, for designated military events. For purposes 7 of this section, “designated military event” means an event, 8 authorized by the adjutant general, for military family 9 readiness groups or for returning veterans of the national 10 guard, reserves, or regular components of the armed forces of 11 the United States for a period of up to one year from the date 12 of return from active duty. 13 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 144.13B Waiver of fees —— military 14 service. 15 Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the 16 contrary, the certified copy fees for a birth certificate or 17 death certificate of a service member, as defined in section 18 29A.90, who died while on active duty shall be waived for a 19 period of one year from the date of death for a family member 20 of the deceased service member. 21 Sec. 3. Section 144C.6, Code 2009, is amended by adding the 22 following new subsection: 23 NEW SUBSECTION . 4. A declaration for disposition of remains 24 made by a service member, as defined in section 29A.90, on 25 forms provided and authorized by the department of defense 26 for service members for this purpose shall constitute a valid 27 declaration of designee for purposes of this chapter. 28 Sec. 4. Section 476.20, subsection 3, Code 2009, is amended 29 by adding the following new unnumbered paragraph: 30 NEW UNNUMBERED PARGRAPH . The rules established by the 31 board shall provide that a public utility furnishing gas 32 or electricity shall not disconnect service to a residence 33 in which one of the heads of household is a service member 34 deployed for military service, as defined in section 29A.90, 35 -1- LSB 5554SV (2) 83 ec/nh 1/ 3

S.F. 2297 prior to a date ninety days after the end of the service 1 member's deployment, if the public utility is informed of the 2 deployment. 3 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 483A.24A License refunds —— military 4 service. 5 Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the 6 contrary, a service member deployed for military service, 7 both as defined in section 29A.90, shall receive a refund of 8 that portion of any license fee paid by the service member 9 representing the service member’s period of military service. 10 EXPLANATION 11 This bill concerns veterans and military service, adding 12 Code provisions relating to fees, use of state facilities, 13 public utilities, and disposition of remains. 14 New Code section 29A.14A requires the state, or a political 15 subdivision of the state, to allow the use of facilities under 16 its control for certain designated military events for not 17 more than the cost of expenses. The Code section defines 18 a designated military event as an event, authorized by the 19 adjutant general, for military family readiness groups or for 20 returning veterans for a period of up to one year from the date 21 of return from active duty. 22 New Code section 144.13B waives the fees for a birth or death 23 certificate of a service member who dies while on active duty 24 for a period of one year from the date of death for a family 25 member of the deceased service member. 26 Code section 144C.6, concerning a declaration of a designee 27 for disposition of remains, is amended to provide that a 28 declaration for disposition of remains made by a service member 29 on forms provided and authorized by the department of defense 30 for service members for this purpose shall constitute a valid 31 declaration of designee. 32 Code section 476.20, relating to the disconnection of 33 utilities, is amended to provide that a public utility 34 furnishing gas or electricity shall not disconnect service to a 35 -2- LSB 5554SV (2) 83 ec/nh 2/ 3

S.F. 2297 residence in which one of the heads of household is a service 1 member deployed for military service prior to a date 90 days 2 after the end of the service member’s deployment. 3 New Code section 483A.24A provides that a service member 4 deployed for military service shall receive a refund of that 5 portion of any fishing or hunting license fee paid by the 6 service member representing the service member’s period of 7 military service. 8 -3- LSB 5554SV (2) 83 ec/nh 3/ 3